Amendment to ASDA’s Current Statements of Position or Policy ‘C-2 Functions of Dental Providers’

Resolution 303-2018 — Adopted
Sponsors
2017-18 Council on Advocacy
Financial Impact
None
Background
As listed in the B-13 Teledentistry in Dental Education, ASDA supports teledentistry. Asynchronous teledentistry involves the transmission of recorded health information through a secure electronic communication system to another practitioner for use at a later time. This requires other healthcare professionals to perform the screenings and report back to the dentists. This is a type of examination the association currently supports.  Radiographs and screenings are performed by licensed dental hygienists and assistants and could be interpreted as an examination. Therefore, the Council on Advocacy agreed to strike ‘examination’ from the C-2 policy as other dental providers are licensed to perform dental examinations; therefore, be it
Resolution
Resolved, that ASDA’s Current Statements of Position and Policy ‘C-2 Functions of Dental Providers (2014)’ be amended to read as follows:

The American Student Dental Association believes that the dentist is the only dental provider that should perform the following functions.

a.    Examination, d Diagnosis and treatment planning
b.    Prescribing work authorizations
c.    Performing surgical/irreversible dental procedures
d.    Prescribing drugs and/or other medications